The present invention relates to a combination smoking and drinking apparatus. More particularly, the invention relates to a combination smoking and drinking apparatus that enables users to simultaneously handle a beverage consumption device and a smoking device.
Smoking has been ubiquitous among various human cultures for many years. In general, the process involves inhaling a concentration of smoke generated from burning dried leaves. Accordingly, over the years, various devices have been developed to concentrate the smoke for inhalation. Such smoking devices usually include a small chamber, oftentimes called a “bowl”, where combustion of the dried leaves takes place. Smoke travels from the bowl through a stem portion to a mouth piece. The vacuum created at the mouth piece when inhaling causes the smoke burning at the bowl to be drawn through the stem and to the user.
Oftentimes devices used for smoking and beverage consumption are used in similar settings. For example, users may endeavor to use smoking devices and beverage consumption devices in the morning (e.g., at breakfast), during the day (e.g., during a smoking break) or even in social settings. The problem is that users are required to juggle the beverage consumption device and the smoking device (e.g., a lighter and pipe) all at the same time. Pipes and other comparable smoking devices may require repeated lifting, movement and setting down along with shuffling the beverage consumption device when both devices are used in the same setting. As such, this activity is not only inconvenient, but it also necessitates constant movement of the smoking and beverage consumption devices. This enhances the potential that one or both of the devices may be dropped, tipped, spilled or otherwise broken due to repeated handling.
One such known combination smoking and drinking article known in the art is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,993 to Martin et al. Martin discloses such an article that generally includes an inner shell that forms a reservoir for holding a beverage and a surrounding outer shell having smoke input and output means. A rather large smoke chamber for containing a smoke filtering agent (e.g., water) is formed between the inner and outer shells. This chamber is rather large and fails to accommodate direct travel from the inlet to the outlet as a result of failing to define any such conduit or channel. As such, smoke in this chamber can become stagnant due to a lack of pressure therein. Furthermore, Martin teaches the use of materials that allow the inner shell to serve as a means for conducting heat between the chamber and the beverage retaining reservoir to provide auxiliary cooling of the smoke. This too is undesirable in that heat exchange between the beverage and the smoke can unduly change the temperature of the beverage or the smoke.
There exists, therefore, a significant need for a combination smoking and drinking apparatus that integrates an efficient smoking device with a beverage consumption device. Such a combination smoking and drinking apparatus should include an insulated container for housing a beverage, a means for consuming the beverage in that container, and an integral smoking device that generally includes bowl, a stem and a mouthpiece for directly channeling smoke from a combustion compartment at the inlet to the outlet for inhalation. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages.